Great Tenor

I'm mourning the loss of a favorite singer of mine: Philip Langridge. He could (and did) sing music from every period, including many premieres by prominent composers of the last forty years. He was especially noted for his Britten interpretations and luckily, some of them are on video (and more are on cd.) He didn't have a "traditionally" beautiful voice, but he was a extraordinary musician and actor and he could delve into the psychology and emotions of characters unlike anyone else. If you are unfamiliar with him, try to find a copy of the video of Peter Grimes. He stands comparisons with both Pears and Vickers and is not found wanting. I saw him sing Aron in Moses und Aron at the MET in his sixties and he was riveting (not easy in that opera and not an easy sing at any age.) He made it seem natural and characterful--basically, he sang it like the masterpiece that it is. The opera world is a little less bright to me now that he is gone. He was singing until his health failed and singing smartly and well. He was 70.